Fake money a problem in Metro East

An unsuspecting Collinsville resident tried to use a $5 it at a local gas station, but an alert clerk noticed the money was phony.

Detective Rich Wittenauer says the case is somewhat bizarre, because counterfeiters usually spend their time churning out fake $100 and $20, not $5.

Wittenauer says there's a couple of dead give aways in this instance, including President Lincoln's head. When holding a real $5 bill to the light, you can see his head. Lincoln's face doesn't show up on the counterfeits.

Wittenauer says real bills also have blue and red fiber in the paper.

He also says real money has a different feel.

"The paper, the real money is created on just has a different feel to it, better quality," Wittenauer says. "A lot of counterfeit money we get, it just doesnt have that feel. You can tell just by touching it, no matter how good it looks, it doesnt feel right."